Television still anchors a lot of time at home, but the way people use the screen has changed quickly. The figures below bring together the latest primary-source data available for this review, with the date and source attached to every statistic.

Use the links beneath each entry to check the original report. The data describes U.S. viewing behavior, not a forecast or a claim about any individual home.

  1. 2.6 hours

    Average daily TV time for Americans age 15 and older in 2024

    Watching television was the single largest leisure and sports activity in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics time-use survey, accounting for more than half of average leisure time.

    Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey, June 26, 2025 ↗
  2. 48.6%

    Share of total TV watch time that went to streaming in May 2026

    Nielsen reported that streaming gained one percentage point from April, while overall television use declined only 1% during the same period.

    Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 ↗
  3. 13.8%

    Share of total TV watch time held by YouTube in May 2026

    Nielsen reported YouTube as the largest media distributor for the third consecutive month, underscoring how often streaming now happens on the television screen itself.

    Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 ↗
  4. 8.0%

    Share of total TV watch time held by Netflix in May 2026

    Netflix moved to the No. 4 distributor position in Nielsen’s May report, supported by new and acquired programming.

    Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 ↗
  5. 4.5%

    Share of total TV watch time held by Prime Video in May 2026

    Prime Video reached its best reported share in the May measurement period, lifted by original programming and live sports.

    Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 ↗
  6. 3.1%

    Share of total TV watch time held by The Roku Channel in May 2026

    The Roku Channel recorded a platform-best share in Nielsen’s May report, showing continued movement toward app-based viewing on the primary TV screen.

    Source: Nielsen, The Gauge, May 2026 ↗

Methodology and sources

This page uses public, primary-source reporting. The Bureau of Labor Statistics figure comes from its American Time Use Survey of people age 15 and older. Nielsen’s figures come from its monthly The Gauge report and represent the stated share of television watch time for the May 2026 measurement period.

Cite this page

ReadyMountTv. “U.S. TV Viewing Statistics.” Updated October 20, 2026. https://readymounttv.com/tv-viewing-statistics.

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